Hearty food for cold nights

NO LONGER is winter coming, it's well and truly here, but shorter days and chilly weather shouldn't stop you from coming together with loved ones - and regardless of the occasion, there's a lamb roasting cut perfect for bringing everyone to the table.

Here are two hearty and delicious recipes that are guaranteed to warm you up from the inside out.

Boneless lamb shoulder roast with crushed kipflers

SERVES: 4

Ingredients

1¼ kg boneless lamb shoulder roast, fat trimmed, trussed

60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbs sweet paprika

1 tbs smoked paprika

3 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbs finely chopped marjoram

2 tbs finely chopped tarragon

Baby wild rocket salad, to serve

SMASHED KIPFLERS:

700 g kipflers, washed

190 g (2/3 cup) natural Greek-style yogurt

75 g (½ cup) seeded Kalamata olives, drained, halved

¼ cup firmly packed basil leaves, finely shredded

1 small red onion, finely chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. To prepare the boneless lamb shoulder, place oil, spices, garlic with herbs in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add lamb and using your hands, rub well to coat. Transfer lamb to a large roasting pan with a roasting rack. Pour any excess marinade left in bowl over the lamb and season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 1½ hours or until cooked through to your liking. Rest for 10 minutes before carving to serve.

Meanwhile, to make crushed kipflers, boil, steam or microwave kipflers until tender. Drain and place in a large heatproof bowl. Using a potato masher or fork, coarsely crush kipflers until smashed but still chunky. Stir in remaining ingredients until combined. Season to taste.

To serve, divide smashed kipflers among four plates, top with carved lamb and serve with baby wild rocket salad.

Lamb mini roast with dukkah and roast vegetable salad.

Lamb mini roast with dukkah and roast vegetable salad

SERVES: 4

Ingredients

2 lamb mini roasts (approx. 400g each), fat trimmed

2 large parsnips, trimmed, peeled, cut into thick batons

8 baby beetroot, trimmed, halved

600g pumpkin, seeded, cut into thin wedges (skin on)

1 bunch Dutch carrots, trimmed, scrubbed, halved if large

2 tsp olive oil

2 tbs tahini

2 tbs dukkah

125 ml (1/2 cup) thick Greek yogurt

1 tbs lemon juice

Method

Preheat oven to 220C or 200C fan forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place vegetables in a single layer on prepared tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, brush lamb with olive oil. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Cook lamb, for 1-2 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer lamb to a rack over a roasting dish. Spread 2 teaspoons of the tahini over each lamb rump, and then sprinkle evenly with the dukkah. Roast for 15-20 minutes for medium, or until 65C on a meat thermometer. Remove, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Combine yogurt, remaining tahini and lemon juice. Cut the lamb across the grain into slices of even thickness Divide lamb and roasted vegetables between plates, serve with the tahini yogurt.